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Original poster

HR/business admin

11 replies

Resembleflower · 11/01/2025 11:58

Hi, im changing careers, currently a nurse. I’ve done several adult education courses on admin. I’d like to get into either HR (did it journey uni breaks) or business admin.

I can’t decide which one to go into. I’ve applied for several apprenticeships. Husband thinks I’m
wasting my time and I should go to uni. I
don’t agree I need to make sure I’m interested in either work areas!

Can anyone who works in this area give me any tips or insights in to this jobs? This year I will make the move as it’s been 2yrs I’ve been thinking about this.

TIA

OP posts:
JoyousPinkPeer · 11/01/2025 12:45

HR is more interesting (ive done both) but can be very demanding at times if you are involved in case work, particularly if its of a serious nature eg employee may lose job, safeguarding issues etc. and one wrong move on your part can have serious consequences, but it is very rewarding too.

BlueFlagPinkFlag · 11/01/2025 13:03

HR is all about your experience, you can go and do a masters or CIPD L7 but without the work expo to go with it, it’s not going to help you do the job all that much. I have a CIPD L3 only but years in HR. There is a fantastic group on Facebook called HR Ninja’s, it’s got thousands of HR professionals ranging from entry level to very experienced and we all help each other out, it’s my main source of help. Come join the group, you won’t regret it! You learn a lot too!

YankeeDad · 11/01/2025 13:08

i don’t know what working in HR is like except for a very brief stint many years ago, but to give a perspective from outside of HR, in every company I’ve worked for, HR is the department with no real power that has to implement all of the annoying risk-management policies that the lawyers can dream up, and also has all of the difficult, messy personnel cases dumped on them, including often situations where relatively senior managers are behaving badly but being kept on either because their bosses lack the gumption to fire them, or because they ARE the top boss.

I would rather poke my own eyes out with pins than work in HR, except maybe payroll or recruiting, the two areas where fellow employees from outside of HR are genuinely happy to see you.

On the other hand, with your background as a nurse, unless you specifically want to get away from healthcare, there may very well be some admin-oriented roles where your previous professional experience could make you uniquely good at your job. For example: what about working in the administration of clinical trials to develop new medical therapies?

LionWings · 11/01/2025 13:23

HR is very wide ranging. Advisory (which includes, but is not limited to dealing with employee disputes/performance issues) is only one part of it. In a larger organisation it generally includes recruitment, HR systems, learning & development, organisational development, payroll, remuneration (ie setting roles, job descriptions, pay bands etc), data analytics.

Starting in an admin role can give you a really good insight into HR overall and which area you might want to move forward in. A supportive environment is key though to give you exposure to different areas and opportunities to move up if the roles arise.

thesandwich · 11/01/2025 13:29

Check out the CIPD website for hr information. How good are your computer skills? Lots of free online courses.

Original poster
Resembleflower · 11/01/2025 15:54

JoyousPinkPeer · 11/01/2025 12:45

HR is more interesting (ive done both) but can be very demanding at times if you are involved in case work, particularly if its of a serious nature eg employee may lose job, safeguarding issues etc. and one wrong move on your part can have serious consequences, but it is very rewarding too.

Thank you, I think the skills I have from nursing are very transferable to the points you’ve said. Interesting and demanding is up my street!

OP posts:
Original poster
Resembleflower · 11/01/2025 15:56

BlueFlagPinkFlag · 11/01/2025 13:03

HR is all about your experience, you can go and do a masters or CIPD L7 but without the work expo to go with it, it’s not going to help you do the job all that much. I have a CIPD L3 only but years in HR. There is a fantastic group on Facebook called HR Ninja’s, it’s got thousands of HR professionals ranging from entry level to very experienced and we all help each other out, it’s my main source of help. Come join the group, you won’t regret it! You learn a lot too!

I don’t really want to go back to uni, I think experience and learning on the job is the best way for me. I will join that group thanks for the heads up! Thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
Resembleflower · 11/01/2025 16:02

YankeeDad · 11/01/2025 13:08

i don’t know what working in HR is like except for a very brief stint many years ago, but to give a perspective from outside of HR, in every company I’ve worked for, HR is the department with no real power that has to implement all of the annoying risk-management policies that the lawyers can dream up, and also has all of the difficult, messy personnel cases dumped on them, including often situations where relatively senior managers are behaving badly but being kept on either because their bosses lack the gumption to fire them, or because they ARE the top boss.

I would rather poke my own eyes out with pins than work in HR, except maybe payroll or recruiting, the two areas where fellow employees from outside of HR are genuinely happy to see you.

On the other hand, with your background as a nurse, unless you specifically want to get away from healthcare, there may very well be some admin-oriented roles where your previous professional experience could make you uniquely good at your job. For example: what about working in the administration of clinical trials to develop new medical therapies?

Edited

Mmm that’s a side I hadn’t thought of, good to hear the negatives too.

re clinical trials I have looked in the past at jobs but the pay wasn’t great. I haven’t looked for a while though. I did wonder/look into if they was such a thing as a legal advisor nurse. I think It's time for me to move on from nursing. Thanks for the input.

OP posts:
Original poster
Resembleflower · 11/01/2025 16:04

LionWings · 11/01/2025 13:23

HR is very wide ranging. Advisory (which includes, but is not limited to dealing with employee disputes/performance issues) is only one part of it. In a larger organisation it generally includes recruitment, HR systems, learning & development, organisational development, payroll, remuneration (ie setting roles, job descriptions, pay bands etc), data analytics.

Starting in an admin role can give you a really good insight into HR overall and which area you might want to move forward in. A supportive environment is key though to give you exposure to different areas and opportunities to move up if the roles arise.

thank you you’ve given me more areas to look into. Remuneration and learning development sounds interesting. I have applied for apprenticeships so I’m hoping if I’m successful they will be supportive.

OP posts:
Original poster
Resembleflower · 11/01/2025 16:05

Lots of food for though and ideas for more research- thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
Resembleflower · 11/01/2025 16:06

thesandwich · 11/01/2025 13:29

Check out the CIPD website for hr information. How good are your computer skills? Lots of free online courses.

My computer skills are good, did office and general admin course via adult ed last year. Will check out the CIPD website. Thanks

OP posts:
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